


So hot with love, we burned our hands

by Cinaed



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Het, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-10
Updated: 2007-10-10
Packaged: 2017-10-07 23:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/70379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinaed/pseuds/Cinaed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Receiving swimming lessons from Teyla was surely Rodney's method of torture for some offense Radek didn't remember committing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So hot with love, we burned our hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blue_raven](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=blue_raven).



> This is a (belated) birthday present for blue_raven, who also beta-checked it for me. Thanks also go out to the awesome duckduck for a second beta read-through. The title comes from "Currents" by Dashboard Confessional. There are also spoilers for "Grace Under Pressure."

Radek was going to kill Rodney. Slowly and painfully. And then find an Ancient device that could temporarily resurrect someone and kill him again. Perhaps the second time could be done with citrus.

“Doctor Zelenka?” Teyla’s tone was polite but contained an undertone of puzzlement. “Are you ready to begin?”

He swallowed and forced himself to look towards her, careful to keep his gaze above her shoulders. Attempting a smile and knowing it probably looked awkward and forced, he nodded. “Yes, yes, of course. It is merely -- I am not a fan of the ocean.” He laughed weakly. “Well, obviously, or else we would not be here, yes?”

Teyla smiled at that. “If you need a moment,” she began, and then stopped with a raised eyebrow as Radek hastily shook his head to assure her that he was ready, truly. After all, the sooner they did this, the sooner he could throw on a shirt and retreat to the safety of his lab to get revenge upon Rodney.

“We can begin,” he said. He tried to ignore the warmth in his cheeks, hoping she would just assume any pinkness came from being out in the sun. Oh, how he was going to murder Rodney! After all, receiving swimming lessons from Teyla was surely a method of torture for some offense Radek didn't remember committing.

“Very well,” Teyla said. If she was skeptical about his sudden, uncharacteristic eagerness, she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled at him and stepped into the reach of the waves that lapped against the mainland's shore.

It was tempting just to stand there and watch her graceful movements. Radek suspected that even men with stronger wills than he could ever hope to possess would struggle against pausing to admire the way the sun caught in her hair and how the albeit modest one-piece bathing suit Teyla had borrowed from someone nevertheless showed off her figure and long, beautiful legs. He swallowed, mouth suddenly dry, and took off his glasses, setting them down on his neatly folded shirt. Now at least everything -- including Teyla’s body -- would be blurred and not half so tempting.

Taking a few cautious steps towards the ocean, he couldn’t help the initial recoil at the first brush of the ocean against his ankles. The quick flinch was more a reaction to the cool temperature of the water than anything else, but he knew Teyla would think otherwise. Radek's stomach clenched just thinking about her sympathetic look.

When he opened his eyes, Teyla was watching him, and he could make neither head nor tails of her expression even as he squinted and studied it for any flicker of pity. He attempted another smile, managing somehow not to flinch when a second wave lapped against his ankles. “So, ah, are all Athosian children taught to swim?”

Teyla nodded even as she took another step further into the sea. “All Athosian children learn by the age of five.” Her smile turned wry. “Although many do not make a habit of swimming once they have learned.” At Radek’s raised eyebrow, she added, “Halling and many others are not fond of deep water.”

A sardonic chuckle escaped his lips at that. “I cannot say I blame them.” Ignoring the way his stomach began to tie itself into knots, Radek took a few more short steps. The silt shifted beneath his feet. "So," he said, more to distract himself than anything else, "who taught you to swim?"

"My mother," Teyla answered. When Radek refocused his gaze on her rather than the waves that seemed to swarm towards him, her expression was warm and amused. "She had to bribe me to get me into the water at first."

“And yet here you are, teaching me how to swim, so obviously you must have enjoyed it once she had coaxed you,” Radek commented.

Teyla laughed. It was a clear, bright sound, one which eased the tension in Radek’s stomach to more manageable levels. “Yes. She found herself bribing me to get back out of the water. My father did not stop laughing for hours.”

Radek couldn't imagine Teyla as a child, still awkwardly growing into her arms and legs and lacking the self-possessed grace she embodied now, but the idea of her mother coaxing her from the water as her father laughed nevertheless made him smile. “My mother had to bribe me as well, only it was to go outside rather than just sit reading books all day,” he said, remembering the fond exasperation in his mother’s voice as she snatched the latest book out from under his nose and told him, ‘Just an hour in the sun, that’s all I ask.’

The water reached his waist now and he stopped, struggling to ignore how unsteady the sand felt beneath his feet. There was no reason to be nervous; the water wasn’t even up to his chest, much less his shoulders, and Teyla was right next to him, but anxiety gnawed at his stomach anyway, shortened his breath, tightened up his shoulders until they ached.

“Doctor Zelenka?” Teyla’s voice was concerned, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

“Just one moment,” he forced out. He heard the slight catch on the final word, felt his cheeks heat with a mixture of shame and frustration.

The touch of her hand against his shoulder was unexpected, and he flinched. “That is enough for today, I believe,” Teyla said, voice mild, as though she were announcing that the sky was blue rather than the fact that Radek was acting like a terrified child.

When Radek finally forced himself to look at her, her expression was what John and Rodney privately called her Mona Lisa look -- utterly inscrutable. He swallowed and tried to speak. “If you say so,” he said at last and could taste the humiliation, hot and bitter, at the back of his throat.

Teyla’s hand dropped away from his arm, and he stared miserably after her as she headed back towards the shore, too wretched and stricken with shame to be distracted by the sunlight in her hair or the graceful way she moved.

Truly, truly, he was going to hurt Rodney for this.

*

Rodney all but tackled them as soon as they stepped from the Jumper. "So, how was it?" he asked, but judging by the smug, pleased smile curving his lips and the expectant gleam in his eyes, Rodney already knew that he had succeeded in punishing Radek for whatever crime he'd committed.

Radek glared at him, muttered darkly under his breath about Rodney's parentage, and headed towards the door.

"It went well," he heard Teyla say smoothly. The same hot, bitter humiliation returned to his throat. Not only had she witnessed him acting like a stricken child, but now she was protecting him from the teasing of others? Radek did not consider himself a prideful man, but this was too much to bear. He turned on heel and met Rodney's startled gaze. "Oh yes, very well," Radek declared, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thank you so much for allowing me to look the fool, McKay."

"Look the-- what are you on about, Zelenka?" Rodney was frowning now, one of his lopsided frowns that wrinkled his brow, the type he reserved for those certain occasions when someone was being particularly confusing. "You needed to learn to swim, so I--"

"No, no, I do not need to learn, McKay!" Radek's voice rose, sharp and furious. He swallowed hard against the bitterness in his throat and said, softer, "And even if I _did_, I would not have you, you _wheedle_ someone into teaching me."

Rodney stared at him for a moment and then glanced at Teyla. "Did he swallow seawater or something?"

"No, he did not," Teyla assured him as Radek fought back an angry snarl, but she had on her Mona Lisa look once more. After a moment, during which Radek glowered and Rodney continued to look bewildered, Teyla said, "I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Rodney, did you not tell Doctor Zelenka that I volunteered to teach him how to swim?"

"Why would I need to do that?" Rodney demanded, confusion shifting to sullenness. "I just told him that he needed to learn how to swim, and that you'd be teaching him. I don't see what the big deal is. He has to learn--"

"Did Elizabeth make such a skill mandatory to remain on Atlantis, McKay?" Radek snapped. "Unless she did and I was simply not aware, I do not _have_ to do anything." He was trembling, he realized, hands balled into fists, and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Rodney frowned, still sullen and now looking vaguely uncomfortable. "Well, no, she didn't, not exactly, but again, living in the middle of the _ocean_ here, so I felt that you-- that_everyone_ needed to learn how to swim if they didn't know already."

Radek just looked at Rodney for a moment, studying the way that those blue eyes slid away from his, the fact that Rodney fidgeted beneath his gaze. So, perhaps the swimming lessons weren't punishment after all. Perhaps they were merely Rodney's clumsy, inevitably insulting way of showing concern for him.

He took another deep breath, forced a polite smile onto his face that felt stiff and awkward. When he spoke, he kept his tone low and neutral. "I do not need to learn how to swim, Rodney. I do not _want_ to learn. Thank you for your concern, but unless Elizabeth makes knowing how to swim mandatory, I refuse to waste my and any teacher's valuable time in the attempt."

"Radek," Rodney said, exasperation sharpening the name.

Radek ignored him, nodding instead towards Teyla. When she nodded back, expression grave and a gleam in her eyes he couldn't quite decipher, Radek retreated from the jumper bay and went to look for Lieutenant Cadman. She was one of the few people Rodney actively avoided in the city, and spending time with Cadman meant a temporary escape from his fellow scientist. Also, the lieutenant played an excellent game of poker.

*

Radek sighed at the knock on his door. Well, he supposed that managing to avoid Rodney for the entire rest of the day was some sort of record. Either that, or Rodney hadn't wanted to speak to him either. "It is not locked," he called, and settled himself down on the edge of his bed, eyeing the door with trepidation.

Teyla entered, and Radek couldn't quite hide his surprise, eyes widening and heart leaping into his throat. How many times had he imagined a scenario much like this, with Teyla standing in the doorway and offering him one of her lovely smiles and warm greetings? After a moment, though, realization struck and his eyes narrowed. So, Rodney had somehow managed to convince Teyla to play the peacemaker as well as the teacher.

Despite that, the smile which rose to his lips wasn't forced as he said, "Good evening."

"Doctor Zelenka," she said with a smile, and then her expression turned serious. "I believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding."

"Perhaps," Radek acknowledged. It was only when the thought struck him that perhaps he should offer her a seat that he looked around and realized how spartan his quarters were. There was his bed, of course, and a nightstand, along with his laptop and a desk covered in scientific journals the _Daedalus_ had brought a few weeks back, but nothing else. He got to his feet, waved a hand towards the bed, remembering long-buried lessons of hospitality his mother had taught him. "Please, sit down." He looked apologetic. "I am afraid I have never gotten around to requisitioning a chair or couch."

Teyla smiled, but didn't comment. Once she'd seated herself on the bed, she looked up at him and asked, "Do you believe that Rodney _forced_ me to teach you to swim?"

Radek frowned. The feeling that he was treading dangerous waters crept upon him. Was Teyla upset that he'd thought Rodney could control her? "No, I am sure Rodney cannot force you to do anything you do not wish to," he said at last, choosing his words carefully. "However, I doubt it was your idea."

"Rodney was...." Teyla began, and then paused, as though selecting her words with equal care. "Rodney has been concerned. I offered to teach you how to swim to put him at ease." Her gaze met his, and she added, voice low and filled with sincerity, "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable or upset. If you do not wish to continue the lessons, we will not."

"I-- you did not make me uncomfortable," he assured her, hoping she wouldn't see the words for the lie that they were. "I simply-- that is to say--" He stopped, flustered, and hunted for the right words, settling on, "You have probably noticed that, for people from Earth, fear is considered a, a weakness. I do not know if it is so for your people, but for us-- for us, fear is a weakness, something to cripple you, and to have someone you respect _witness_ your weakness, well--" He stopped, his mouth twisting into a bitter smile.

"It is humiliating," Teyla supplied, voice soft, and Radek nodded, grateful that she understood. Then again, of course she would. One reason Radek's infatuation had risen to near-unbearable levels in the first place was because Teyla's beauty was nothing when one compared it to her kindness and wisdom. "I am sorry, Doctor Zelenka. I did not realize I was putting you into a humiliating situation."

He waved a hand at that. "Do not apologize. You could not have known. And besides, Rodney should have known better. He--" Radek paused, frowning. _Did_ Rodney know about his hopeless, ridiculous crush on Teyla? Rodney did, after all, still tease him about his hero-worship of Elizabeth, although that spark of longing had been replaced by friendship long ago, and to be brutally honest, Rodney was often not the most observant of men, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Perhaps Rodney had not understood how embarrassing having Teyla as a teacher would be for him. Radek attempted another smile. "He should have asked if I wished to learn how to swim. Also, please, call me Radek. Doctor Zelenka is far too formal." 

"Radek," Teyla repeated, smiling as she did so. The smile lit up her face and sparked a flare of longing in Radek's chest that he quickly suppressed. She was still smiling when she reached out and took his hand in hers. Her hands were warm and gentle, and his throat went tight and his mouth grew dry as she said softly, "I respect you as well."

For a brief moment, Radek wondered what she was talking about, and then he recalled his own words. He licked his lips and felt his face warm with pleasure at the compliment. "Thank you," he said at last, and then hesitated. She respected him, yes, but respect was a far cry from, well, love, if he was forced to find a word that most closely resembled his feelings. Still, respect could form a friendship, and Radek had long ago realized that friendship was better than nothing at all. 

"I do not wish to continue the swimming lessons," he said and watched the smile leave her face and disappointment fill her eyes. It was the obvious disappointment that spurred him onward, making him add a quiet, "However, perhaps--"

"Perhaps?" she repeated gently, when he faltered.

Radek swallowed and resisted the urge to fiddle with his glasses or lick his lips, struggled to hide any nervous habit that might betray him. "However," he said, voice soft as a whisper, "perhaps I should continue, despite my fear." 

"I would be happy to teach you, Radek," Teyla said, and Radek realized that her hands were still holding his. She apparently noticed as well, for her gaze dropped to their clasped hands. She was silent for a moment, the break in conversation filled only by Radek's unsteady heartbeat in his ears, and then she met his eyes once more and smiled. It was a different smile than any he'd seen on her face, one that was soft and sincere.

The look brought back that flare of longing in his chest, along with a surge of courage or perhaps foolishness, and before she could speak, Radek blurted out, "Would you like to, to do more than swim?" When she raised an eyebrow, a flush warmed his cheeks and he said hastily, "What I mean is, you are teaching me how to swim. There must be something I can do for you."

"I do not need anything in return--" Teyla began.

"Please, it would be my pleasure," he insisted, fighting back the warmth in his face and hoping his cheeks were not too pink.

She squeezed his hand gently, and then released it. He let his hand drop to his side, where it hung awkwardly, feeling conspicuous and out of place now that Teyla was not holding it. "All I wish for is your friendship, Radek," Teyla said, and when he looked at her, the soft look had returned to her face, making his chest ache.

"You have it," Radek assured her, voice all but cracking with its earnestness. He resisted the urge to curse. He had always hated, from his first infatuation with Ivana Hrusak when he was fourteen and onward through the decades, how he turned into an inarticulate fool whenever he was close to someone he desired. He hated it even more now as Teyla rose to her feet, the bitter humiliation rising in his throat once more.

"I am glad to hear that," was all Teyla said, however, apparently oblivious to his flustered state. Her hands settled on his shoulders, and for a moment he was at a loss, and then realization dawned and he lowered his head to meet hers, their foreheads touching gently.

He couldn't help but breathe in. A faint scent of the sea still remained on her skin and in her hair, reminding him that yes, he really had agreed to several more lessons, during which Teyla would witness him be swallowed up by his fear. She said that she respected him, but if he didn't master his phobia of water, would she continue to--

"Radek," Teyla said, interrupting his darkening thoughts, and when he pulled back slightly to meet her eyes, she kissed him. It was a light kiss, brief and almost chaste. At his stunned look, she looked amused. "Forgive me if I have overstepped my bounds, but it did not seem as though you would make the first move."

After a moment, he laughed, a mixture of ruefulness and delight in the sound. The ache in his chest was gone, replaced by a lightness that made him almost giddy. "Probably," he agreed. He touched her hands, which still rested on his shoulders, marveled silently at his luck. "So, ah, I suppose I owe Rodney an apology."

"Tomorrow," she said, and he laughed again.

Yes, definitely tomorrow. At the moment, Radek was very much content where he was.


End file.
